Latest news with #SeanWalker
Associated Press
2 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Hurricanes' Chatfield, Walker and Jarvis have no surgery plans for injuries after playoff run
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes players Jalen Chatfield, Sean Walker and Seth Jarvis said Friday they don't plan to have surgery for injuries after the team's playoff run to the Eastern Conference final. Chatfield missed Carolina's last six games with what the defenseman described as a hip injury, while fellow blue-liner Walker was dealing with an aggravation of a shoulder injury. As for Jarvis, the team's leader in regular-season goals and postseason points, the forward said he plans to work on strengthening and rehabbing a lingering right-shoulder issue for the second straight offseason. Carolina is the only NHL team with an active streak of winning at least one postseason series for seven straight years, with this year's five-game loss to the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers marking a third trip to the Eastern final in that span. Chatfield had missed the closeout game of the second-round series against Washington and then the entire Florida series. The team had never specified the nature of Chatfield's injury, which became a common question for coach Rod Brind'Amour, and he said he should be fine with extra rehab time. 'Just something in the hip,' Chatfield said during Friday's end-of-year player interviews. 'It's hard when you get that, trying to skate through that. I just couldn't even get to that speed where I would even be capable of even helping the team on the ice. 'I was able to get back on the ice before the last game and hopefully it was going to be another game or two before I could return. I was super close, for sure.' Chatfield typically held a second-pairing spot with Dmitry Orlov before his absence, and he scored Carolina's first postseason goal just 2:24 into the opener against New Jersey. Brind'Amour at one point called Chatfield 'day to day' in the most optimistic update during his absence. 'Making it as far as we did and being able to play against Florida, it was tough watching,' Chatfield said. The impact of Chatfield's absence compounded when Walker missed the last three games of the Florida series, his last appearance coming in Game 2 after taking a jarring open-ice hit from A.J. Greer and eventually exiting early. At that point, Carolina was down two of its top six defensemen and playing rookies Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow with its season on the brink. Walker said he had suffered a minor shoulder injury late in the regular season that was improving through the postseason before the Greer hit 'set me back pretty significantly.' He said he was hoping to return if Carolina advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, but didn't need surgery. Then there's Jarvis, who led Carolina with 10 assists and 16 points in 15 playoff games after tallying a team-best 32 goals in 73 regular-season games. Surgery had been a possibility last year, though he has focused on rehab and strengthening his shoulder. 'We loved where it was at the start of the season, in terms of the health of it and the strength and everything,' Jarvis said. 'Early on it kind of started to slip a little bit, and then kind of re-tore all the work we did on it and all the strength and everything we did. So just dealing with it again wasn't too bad, kind of the same thing as last year.' Jarvis described the injury as creating more of an issue of pain tolerance than inhibiting on-ice activity — 'I mean, the only difference would be I'd probably be able to throw a real nice spiral,' Jarvis said of surgery — while the protective brace he returned to during the season might prevent him from reaching up to catch a puck. He played all 15 of Carolina's postseason games, scoring the tying goal in the third period of Game 5 against Florida in what turned out to be the Hurricanes' last of the season. 'This summer, we were dancing around the idea of what to do with it,' Jarvis said. 'The season's gone pretty late, I don't want to miss a lot of time. So I'm going to go with the same protocol as last summer of strengthen it, rehab it. Hopefully maybe wear the brace from the very beginning of the year, and then go from there.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Hurricanes Without Yet Another Key Defenseman
The Carolina Hurricanes were already struggling to deal with the loss of Jalen Chatfield on the blueline and now they'll be without Sean Walker too. While the 30-year-old defenseman took warmups before Game 3, he was not part of line rushes and was officially ruled out per the NHL's roster report. The right-handed defenseman took an a big hit from A.J. Greer in Game 2 as he was shooting the puck and it appeared his arm/shoulder was injured in the process. In his place will be 23-year-old rookie blueliner Alexander Nikishin for just his second ever career game. Walker has been a big part of the Carolina blueline this postseason, not only playing big minutes when called upon, but also contributing offensively with a goal and three points. The veteran has especially been called upon with Chatfield out, so it will be interesting to see how the Hurricanes fare in Game 3 without him. Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories! Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Memorial Day: Wild mustangs help veterans heal through Wyoming ranch program
JAY EM, Wyo. – While Memorial Day is a time for remembrance, it can also be a difficult period for many veterans, particularly those struggling with mental health. A program in Wyoming is helping to address those challenges by pairing veterans with wild mustangs in a unique approach to healing. According to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2022, veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety than civilians. Each year, approximately 6,000 veterans die by suicide. At some point in their lives, 7 out of every 100 veterans (or 7%) will experience PTSD, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In the small town of Jay Em, Wyoming, a nonprofit called Operation Remount Corporation is offering a form of equine therapy that serves not only veterans and first responders, but also the mustangs—many of which come from traumatic backgrounds. Karen Alexander, co-founder of Operation Remount, says some mustangs also experience trauma and anxiety, making the program a form of reciprocal healing. "These are mustangs that went through three adoptions and were not accepted or not adopted," Alexander said. "When the mustangs first come, they are very afraid of humans. It's really neat to see when that animal finally says, I can trust you." Veteran Sean Walker is one of this year's participants at Operation Remount. He says joining the program and meeting his horse, nicknamed Spirit, was needed after serving in the military. Walker, who completed two tours in Iraq and one in Bosnia with the Kansas National Guard, says just a few weeks with his horse, Spirit, has already made a significant impact. "We call him Enduring Spirit Wind," Walker said. "He's taught me probably more than I could have possibly taught him." After retiring from the military, Walker said reintegrating into civilian life was difficult. Like many other veterans, he experienced mental health challenges. The program recently added a new red cabin to house participants during the six-week course. It was built in honor of Marine Corps Sgt. B.J. Shepperson, who served two deployments and struggled with the transition back to civilian life in Wyoming. Shepperson said his brother B.J. loved horses and would have really appreciated what this program is doing to help other veterans. "After two deployments and coming back to Wyoming, he had a hard time re-adjusting," said his brother, Baxter Shepperson. Program leaders say they're working to construct more cabins, allowing additional veterans and first responders to stay overnight during the program as they experience the therapeutic bond with a horse. "It's like when you found a connection that you've lost," Walker said. "It allows you to have that reconnection and Spirit has been that." Operation Remount allows the veterans and first responders to keep the wild horse after completing the six-week course. The nonprofit holds sessions in both spring and fall. The team at Operation Remount is now working toward building an indoor facility so they can offer the program throughout the year, even during Wyoming's harsh winter months.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hurricanes Savagely Troll Capitals After Playoff Series Win
The Carolina Hurricanes made quick work of the Washington Capitals in their second-round playoff series. Carolina dispatched the Capitals in five games, sending the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference to an early-season ending. The Hurricanes used strong defense to limit the Capitals throughout the five-game series, shutting down the normally strong Washington offense. The series win for the Hurricanes was a little surprising, but Carolina has fed off being the underdog before. Advertisement But following the series' end, the Hurricanes' social media account savagely trolled the Capitals. The Dulles Airport made a post going against the Hurricanes, and Carolina responded in the best way possible. The Hurricanes are now awaiting the winner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers series. Carolina knows that whoever they play will be tough, but they are ready for the challenge ahead. "I think honestly it'll just be the same mindset," defenseman Sean Walker said. "We don't care who we're going to play. We're going to end up just doing our systems, our game plan going forward and make them play our game. Regardless of what happens, we'll be watching, but we'll just be preparing ourselves." Carolina Hurricanes players celebrate after their series clinching win against the Washington Capitals in game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Burke-Imagn Images Goalie Frederik Andersen has been leading the way for the Hurricanes in the postseason this year. The veteran goalie holds a 1.36 goals-against average, a .937 save percentage, and one shutout over nine games. Advertisement The Hurricanes will look to continue surprising people in the Eastern Conference Final. Sleep on Carolina at your own risk, and to be honest, the team seems to be 100 percent okay with that. Related: Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Brushes Off Loss to Maple Leafs Related: Stars' Peter DeBoer Raises Eyebrows With Offense Comments
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Andersen's steady play in net has the Hurricanes back in the Eastern final for 2nd time in 3 years
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) directs traffic against the Washington Capitals during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Sean Walker (26) clears the puck away from goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and Washington Capitals' Lars Eller (20) during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, right, celebrates with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (4) and defenseman Sean Walker (26) after Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) stops the puck in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) stops the puck in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) directs traffic against the Washington Capitals during the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Sean Walker (26) clears the puck away from goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and Washington Capitals' Lars Eller (20) during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, right, celebrates with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (4) and defenseman Sean Walker (26) after Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) stops the puck in the third period of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Washington Capitals Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Frederik Andersen has stayed as calmly consistent as it gets in the NHL playoffs. That's helped the Carolina Hurricanes make it back to the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. The 35-year-old veteran has the best save percentage and goals-against average in the postseason among goalies with multiple starts, notably by holding opponents to one or zero goals in six of his nine starts. He's coming off giving up six goals in five second-round games against the Washington Capitals, who posted the conference's best regular-season record and was second behind Winnipeg for the Presidents' Trophy. Advertisement 'He's just doing what we knew he could always do,' defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said Saturday as the Hurricanes await the end of the Florida-Toronto series to learn their next opponent. 'He's been the backbone of our team for sure, all playoffs. And we've relied on him heavily in the sense he's making that big save for us that allows us to win these games.' Andersen has posted elite numbers so far. He's 7-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage. No other starting goaltender has a sub-2.00 GAA in the playoffs entering the weekend. And he's been a perfect backstop for a defense that has smothered its first two foes. 'I just try to be as good as possible in every situation, and be in the moment in whatever comes in front of me and in whatever situation in the game,' Andersen said before the Hurricanes' Game 5 closeout of the Caps. "I don't get to decide how much we have the puck, how much they have the puck and how many times they shoot it. Advertisement 'I've just got to put myself in the best position to make saves in whatever situation comes.' Two things have stood out in Andersen's postseason through two rounds. One is how firmly he's grabbed the role of no-doubt, every-game starter in this postseason. 'He gave us the 'I want the net,' and that's all you need to hear,' coach Rod Brind'Amour said before Game 4 of the first-round series against New Jersey. The other has been his durability so far after health and injury issues of recent year. The only hiccup in these playoffs was an early exit in Game 4 against the Devils due to a hit by a skating-in Timo Meier that sidelined him for the Game 5 clincher, though a long break between rounds had him back in the crease for Game 1 against Washington. Advertisement He's had strong postseason stretches before, notably when the Hurricanes last reached the Eastern final in 2023 and his 1.83 GAA was second among goalies with multiple postseason starts. But the health issues had been more frequent, from him missing the 2022 playoffs due to a lower-body injury late in the regular season to appearing in just 16 regular-season games last season due to a blood-clotting issue. This year, he missed November, December and most of January due to knee surgery then returned as part of a rotation with 25-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov. 'I just kind of enjoy being out here," Andersen said. "I think that's one of the bigger things for me. You guys obviously know my history the last couple of years with some things that no one wants to have happen to you. You go through it and it's a good reminder of how precious this time you get to play the sport is.' Andersen's play has been an integral part of Carolina's elite defensive efforts through two rounds, fitting perfectly in with the Hurricanes' efforts to smother opponents with an aggressive forecheck, control the puck in the offensive zone to pressure defenders — and thereby minimize some of the chances Andersen has to stop. Advertisement To that point, Andersen has faced as many as 30 shots on goal only once in the postseason. The Capitals never managed more than 21 shots in any game, and had seven or fewer shots in 11 of 15 regulation periods. And he recently signed a one-year contract extension to return next season alongside Kochetkov. In the meantime, keeping Andersen fresh and healthy is a priority. After all, the Hurricanes are merely at the halfway point in their pursuit to win a second Stanley Cup, the other coming in 2006 with Brind'Amour as captain. 'When Freddie is in net, he's a stud and he's been a stud his whole career,' Carolina captain Jordan Staal said after Thursday's win in Washington. 'You guys always talk about his calmness and he's a rock, just makes things look easy.' ___ AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno in Washington contributed to this report. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
